Who Was the First Democratic President?

The first Democratic Party president of the United States was Andrew Jackson. There have been a total of 15 Democratic Party presidents, including Barack Obama.

The Democratic Party has existed for more than 200 years. It struggled to survive in the beginning and supported and tolerated slavery to hang on to the support of Southern voters. Today, the party is dramatically different than it was back then. It supports civil rights for minorities, organized labor, and progressive reform.

Andrew Jackson was first nominated for president in 1824, but lost the election to John Quincy Adams. Not willing to give up, Jackson and his supporters founded the Democratic Party and was again nominated for president in 1828. This time, he won the election and faced a mountain of struggles during his time in office, such as the death of his wife and the threat made by South Carolina to secede from the Union.

Despite his struggles, Jackson ran against Henry Clay in the 1832 election and defeated him to serve his second term in office. During his second term, Jackson worked diligently to strengthen the Democratic Party and he backed his friend and vice president, Martin Van Buren, who won the 1832 presidential election. After his time in office, he continued working on behalf of the Democratic Party and helped his friend and fellow Democrat, James K. Polk, win the presidency in 1844.